Andhra MLAs, 20 MIM activists manhandle Taslima Nasreen

Twenty activists of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) led by Andhra Pradesh MLAs Afsar Khan, Ahmed Pasha and Mozum Khan, stormed the Press Club premises of the city today and roughed up Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen.

Hyderabad, Aug 9 : Twenty activists of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) led by Andhra Pradesh MLAs Afsar Khan, Ahmed Pasha and Mozum Khan, stormed the Press Club premises of the city today and roughed up Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen.

Nasreen was in the city for the release of Telugu translation of her latest book "Shodh".

They attacked her with bouquets, and flower pots at the concluding session of the book release.

Police have taken three legislators and their supporters into custody.

The Bangladeshi writer fled her home in 1994 after hardline Muslims called for her death following her most controversial book, 'Lajja' (Shame), which was banned for blasphemy and suggesting free sex.

Nasreen has since lived in the United States and Europe, before settling in West Bengal.

In January 2004, Nasreen was given police protection after a Muslim cleric offered a reward of 20,000 rupees to anyone who blackened her face or garlanded her with shoes, traditionally seen as an insult in South Asia.

Hardline Muslims have been pressing the government to deport the controversial author, saying she has hurt communal harmony with her anti-Islamic remarks.

ANI